Serosurvey of Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis in HIV-infected patients

María Mercedes Nogueras; Immaculada Pons; Isabel Sanfeliu; Montserrat Sala; Ferran Segura

doi:10.1111/1348-0421.12138

Serosurvey of Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis in HIV-infected patients

Microbiol Immunol. 2014 Apr;58(4):257-9. doi: 10.1111/1348-0421.12138.

Authors

María Mercedes Nogueras¹, Immaculada Pons, Isabel Sanfeliu, Montserrat Sala, Ferran Segura

Affiliation

¹ Department of Infectious Diseases, Health and University Corporation "Parc Taulí"-University Institute "Parc Taulí" of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (CSUPT), Sabadell, Spain.

PMID: 24467705
DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12138

Abstract

Consistent with the effects of HIV on cell-mediated immunity, an increased susceptibility to intracellular microorganisms has been observed. Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular microorganisms. The aim of this study was to examine Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis infections in HIV+ population. Sera of 341 HIV+ patients were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescent assay. Age, sex, residential locality, risk behavior, stage according to criteria of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CD4+/CD8+ T cells, Hepatitis B antigen, and Hepatitis C serology were surveyed. Seroprevalences of R. typhi and R. felis infection were 7.6% and 4.4%, respectively. No associations were found between seropositivities and the assessed variables. Findings were similar to those obtained in healthy subjects from the same region.

Keywords: Rickettsia felis; Rickettsia typhi; human immunodeficiency virus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
HIV Infections / complications*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology*
Rickettsia felis / isolation & purification*
Rickettsia typhi / isolation & purification*
Seroepidemiologic Studies

Substances

Antibodies, Bacterial